Boiler-tube or flue cleaning implement



Sept. 6, 1927. I 1,375

T. W. DAILEY BOILER TUBE 0R FLUE CLEANING IMPLEMENT Filed Oct. 7, 1926 a l f.

Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

UNITED STATES I C E THEODORE WLDAILE Y, OF-CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BOILER-TUBE OB/jFLUE CLEANING IMPLEMENT.

Application filed October 7, 192a. SerialNe 139,998.

I This invention relates to a boiler tube or lue cleaning implement and has for. its object to provide a simple and inexpensive tool which is so constructed that it may be used to clean all of the tubes or flues of aboiler.

Accumulations of soot, dust and; scale on the tubes or flues of a boiler greatly reduces the efficiency of the boiler and by reason of the close spacing and staggered arrangement of the tubes great difficulty has been experienced in cleaning the tubes or flues by reason of the inaccessibility of portions of the tubes.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a single tool of simple construction which may be engaged with any part of tlie'surface of any tube or flue in the boiler and which is capable of effective cleaning action on any tube surface with which it may be engaged.

A further: object of the invention is to I provide a curved scraping tool adapted to conform to the curved surface of a tube or flue and mounted for angular adjustment on the handle so that its position maybe reversed for engagement with oppositesides of a tube and also capable of adjustment through a lesser angle so that the blade may be so positioned that its scraping edge is at the angle to the tube most effective for removing scale therefrom.

With the above and other objects in view the invention may be said to comprise the device as illustrated in the accompanying drawings hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims together with such variations and modifications thereof as will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention appertains.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a transverse section through a bank of boiler tubes or flues and showing various positions in which the tool may be placed for cleaning the surfaces of the tubes or flues.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the tool.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the tool as viewed from the right of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4: is a sectional view showing the scraper engagement with a tube.

Fig. 5 is a ragmentary section through the pit otal sensation between. the scraper handle.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the serratedscraper attaching head. i

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a'n'iodified form of connectionrbetween the scraper and handle.

Fig. 8 is asection on line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, my improved tool is provided with a rigid handle preferably straight and of a length sufficient to reach any of the tubes of a boiler. This handle may be made in sections so that its length may be convenient for the particular tube upon which the tool is operating, the upper tubes requiring a long handle While for the lower tubes a short handle is more convenient. The handle 10 is provided with a. flattened head at one end through which there is a central aperture 12 which is surrounded upon one face of the head by equally spaced radially disposed teeth 13. A curved scraper blade of substantially arcuate form is secured to the head 11 ofthe handle and has an inner chisel edge 15 for attaching head 16 at one end which is provided with an integral pin 17 projecting from thecenter thereof, the'pin'" 17* being adapted to pass through the aperture 12 in 5 the head 11. Upon the outer face of the head surrounding the central pin 17 there are equally spaced projecting teeth 18 adapted to fit between the teeth 18 on the head 11, the contiguous serrated faces of the heads 11 and 16 of the handle and blade forming an interlocking connection for rigidly holding the blade in any angular position to which it may be adjusted. The outer end 19 of the pin 17 is screw threaded to receive a clamping nut 20 by means of which the serrated head 16 can be clamped against the serrated head 11 to lock the blade in adjusted position. By loosening the nut 20 the blade may be moved outwardly from the handle a sufficient distance to free theteeth 18 from the teeth 13 so that the blade may be turned to any desired angle with respect to the handle. After the blade has been adjusted to the desired angle the nut can be again tightened 9 rigidly clamp the blade in adjusted posiion.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing the tool may be inserted diagonally between the tubes from the bottom of the bank and may tamed to shift the scraper time has the between two adjacent enes as that it may be engaged Wlt-hlthG top 'or-un'densurface of a tube, depending upon the position of adjustment of the blade with respect 'to the handle. The upper portions of 'the5tub'es may be scraped with the scraper in one position and the under-surfaces thereof may be s'crapedwhen the position of the blade with respect to the handle is reversed. By scraping the upper and under portions of the tubes with the tool inserted at one inclination and by again scraping the tubes in asimilar manner with the tool inserted at the opposite inclination as indicated in Fig. 1 all of the tubes may be completely cleaned.

Figs. 7 and 8 of the. drawing show amodifiedform of interlocking connection between thehandle and scraper in which the blade 21 is provided with an integral head 22 with an integral pin 24 projecting outwardly from thecenter thereof. On the outer face of the head there are two radialgrooves 25 onoppo'site sides of the ,pin and interposed between the/headand the handle 10 thereisanannular locking member 26 which fitsover the pin2t and is provided on one face withr adial ribs-27 adapted to fit in the grooves 25 of the head and on the other face with teeth 28 correspo11ding to the teeth 13 on the handle and which are adapted to interlit with theteet-h -on.the handle'to lock theblade in adjusted position. The outer end 29 of the pin 24is threaded to receive a nut 30 by means of which the blade is clamped to the handle. By -providingfthe annular locking element separate from'the attaching head of thescraper blade instead of integralrtherewith, as shown in Fig.2, the scraper blade, the annular locking member and the handle may each be produced by. forging and nosmaehining operations are required on the teeth whereas inthe modification shown in Fig. 2i't is necessary to cut the teeth in the scraper attaching head.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim isz 1. A boiler tube or flue cleaner comprising a handle having .a transverse aperture at one end, an arcuatebladehaving at one end a threaded {pin extending through said aperture and rotatable therein, a nut engageable with the threaded end of the pin'for clamping the blade to the handle, and means forming an interlock between the contiguous faces ofthe blade and handle to rigidly hold the blade in diflerentan'gular positions with respect to the handle.

2. A boiler tube or flue cleaner comprisin g a handle havinga transverse aperture at one end and having one face thereof provided with serrations surrounding the aperture, an arcuate blade having at one end a threaded pin adapted to extend through the apertureand to rotate therein, a partnonrotatably secured to the blade and having a serrated face engageable with the serrated face on the handle to lock the blade against turning movement and a nut adapted to be screwed. on said pin to clamp the blade to the handle.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix, my

THEODORE W. DAILEY.

s gn ature. 

